By the Light of the Moon
by Tears of a Spirit
Summary: Kirito was used to soloing through everything. So much so that it had become like a second nature to him. But once he gets trapped in the death game of Sword Art Online, he finds something in a guild that he never had as a solo player: a family. And if you know Kirito, you know that he protects his own. [OC Submissions Open]
1. Chapter 1

**IMPORTANT A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope you stay for the rest. This first chapter will have a lot of canon but every chapter after this will deviate more and more from the original storyline. Length of chapters will increase as the story goes on.**

* * *

I hefted my backpack higher on my shoulder, walking home from school. I didn't live all that far away, a couple blocks at the most. My little sister, Suguha, walked next to me and talked about all the things that she had done. I just nodded and smiled; only catching snippets of what she was saying. My mind was wandering to the virtual world of Sword Art Online. The amount of detail put into it was just astounding. Everything was so lifelike. It was something that shouldn't have existed, but did.

"Kirigaya Kazuto! Are you even listening to me?!" a shout startled me from my mind's wanderings. I realized with a start that we were already at our house's driveway.

I smiled at the little fireball that was my sister. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little tired."

I rested a hand on her head and rubbed it affectionately. Immediately, her face lit up with a smile and she pulled me into a hug.

"It's ok! We all get tired. But sometimes, you just need someone to keep you awake."

She let go of me and skipped ahead. She disappeared through the doorway and I started after her, smiling all the while at her childish enthusiasm, yet confused at her hidden maturity.

* * *

**AINCRAD: TOWN OF BEGINNINGS**

I looked up with undisguised horror at the hooded figure of Kayaba Akihiko that had materialized out of the now crimson sky.

10,000 players trapped here. Including me.

"_Welcome to my world." _he had said. He created this world, not for our amusement, but for his own wish to play _god_.

A new player that I had taught for the past few hours, Klein, wailed something about his pizza and ginger ale. And soon enough, the denial and rage of all the players joined Klein's as they demanded release. I gritted my teeth and shut out everything. Now was not the time to panic. If I wanted to survive, I couldn't let my emotions get the best of me. A plan began to formulate in my head.

I left the Town of Beginnings, and headed for the next town over. All simple strategy. Everyone will be aiming to get as strong as they could. And all the monsters around here would be hunted clean by tomorrow.

As I ran, I looked up at the blue sky; imagining that I was looking past the virtual clouds. I was imagining that I was staring at the grey ceiling of my room, with Sugu's slightly muffled voice carrying through the walls and the smell of our parents' cooking wafting in through the doors.

For the first time, I wished I was home.

"_I'm sorry Sugu… Wait for me. I'll make it back. I __promise." _I thought.

* * *

"Kirito, what do you say about joining our guild?"

"_There's a big limit to what you can do as a solo player."_

The last words I had said to the girl, Asuna, back on the first floor rang through my ears as I watched the expectant faces of a guild. Keita, the player who asked me to join, was looking at me hopefully. His eyes were full of light and optimism. Tetsuo, Sasamaru, and Ducker were looking at me with grins on their faces. I glanced towards the blue haired girl, Sachi. She caught my gaze and looked to the floor, smiling slightly.

I felt a sudden protectiveness for this group of people. They just had this… bond that I didn't know that I wanted a part of until now. It was funny. You never really know what you're missing out on until you see other people enjoying what you don't have.

I will not let anything happen to them.

"I guess I'll join after all. Thanks." I replied.

The entire table erupted with cheers. Sachi gave me a smile, which I returned.

Keita came over and patted me on the back. "Hey, Kirito, if you don't mind me asking… what level are you?"

I glanced up at my gauge. But in that moment, I could feel… _something. _A diverging of paths. Two choices.

_A choice… one will lead to death... while other, salvation. _

The feeling built. I rubbed the back of my neck. A choice. Salvation. Death. A really big blind move considering I didn't know anything about which choice led where.

"Level 40."

All of a sudden, the building pressure I had probably been imagining vanished.

Keita stared at me as if I had dropped from space. I glanced at the rest of the guild. I didn't see anything other than shock and maybe a tinge of anger. Suddenly, I felt like I understood the choice.

Salvation. To lie and join the guild. Help them make it to the end of the game. Probably have a bunch of new friends. That's assuming we ever get out of this hell hole.

Or Death. To tell the truth, get kicked out, and probably die old and alone. Once again, assuming we ever get out.

Keita grimaced. "You're one of the beta testers, aren't you? There's no other way you could have gotten your level up that fast otherwise."

I nodded. I should have known. A guild with a beta tester would be frowned upon as a group who held an unfair advantage over all the others. There was no way that these people would want me. I got up to leave and extended my hand to Keita.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have decided to join. I'll be seeing you around."

But instead of taking it and shaking, he took my hand and pulled me back down.

"If you think we're gonna let someone as strong as you go, you've got another thing coming." Keita leaned back in his chair. "Players like you are hard to come by. Most players would have just let us die out there and took all of our equipment once we died."

"And that's why I'm willing to give you a chance. I still hold it against most beta testers for leaving us newbies back in the Town of Beginnings without any real information. You're different. I can see that much."

I nodded thoughtfully. Ducker came over and put an arm around my shoulder and waggled a finger in my face. "But you can only join under one condition."

I looked him in the eye. "Name it."

Ducker grinned. "You teach us everything! You're a front liner, right?"

Sachi gaped at the beanie-sporting thief. "Ducker! You can't just ask for-"

I reached over and lightly rested my hand over Sachi's and gave it a reassuring pat. "It's alright. As long as Keita agrees with it, I'll do it."

Every single eye turned to Keita. I glanced around. The other three guys seemed overly optimistic. Sachi just looked nervously at the leader. But in the end, Keita just shrugged.

I smiled and relaxed in my chair. Sasamaru and Tetsuo patted me on the back. Keita was smiling thoughtfully and Sachi was grinning from ear to ear. Looks like I wouldn't die old and alone anymore.

Suddenly a window popped up in front of me.

_Keita has invited you to join the Moonlit Black Cats._

_[Accept] [Decline]_

I tapped the accept button and watched as the guild icon appeared next to my name. As I watched the rest of the guild cheer and laugh, I felt that compulsion to protect them again.

I knew that I had to see them to the end of this world.

* * *

**A/N: Once again, thank you for reading! If you want me to continue, leave a review and tell me how I did.  
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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Floor 22: Coral**

It had been a couple of months after I joined the Moonlit Black Cats.

I leaned back and closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling of the cool moss-covered stone beneath my head. We were resting at a ruined village house somewhere outside of Coral.

Everything felt so real; right down to the bark on the trees in the nearby forest. It was remarkable, really. Kayaba Akihiko had somehow managed to imitate even the feel of our environment. It was something that shouldn't have been possible. Yet, here it was. I gave a sigh of contentedness. The chatter and laughs of the guild gradually faded away as I let myself sink into the realm of sleep.

"Kirito?" a voice called, startling me from my nap.

I opened an eye and peered up at the blue haired girl who leaned over me. I sat up and rubbed the grogginess from my eyes.

"Hm? What is it?" I asked. I looked around. Keita seemed like he asleep out a couple of yards away from me. Ducker and Sasamaru looked like they were asleep too. Tetsuo was digging through his inventory, with a frown on his face.

Sachi sighed and sat down next to me. "How do you do it?"

I looked at her confused. "How do I do what?"

"Live. Aren't you afraid of dying?"

I rested my chin in my hand. "Who isn't? Every day, I'm afraid of dying. Especially because I'm a clearer. But I don't let it rule me. I don't let my fear control what I do."

"What's it like being a clearer?"

I just shrugged. "I just do what I can to make sure that I make it back. I have a little sister, - cousin, really – back home. I miss her sometimes. Plus, I've got a couple of people that I know up on the front lines that are fighting to make sure we can go back. I just want to pull my weight too."

I thought about the people who I'd met up on the front lines. "A few of them are in guilds. Some of them are trying to go solo, like I was. Ever heard of the Knights of the Blood Oath and the Holy Dragon Alliance?"

Sachi nodded. "They're two of the biggest and most powerful guilds in Aincrad. It's kind of hard not to hear of those two."

I just gave a small smile. "Yeah. The ones that I know are all pretty high-ranking in those two alliances."

She nodded and looked thoughtful for a second. "What were you doing down here that day that you saved us? I've tried to think of reasons why a clearer like you was doing down here but none of my reasons made any sense."

"I was looking for some materials to upgrade my sword. Some of the things that I needed were easier to find on lower floors. It's common with the clearers. But since we don't like being called out as thieves, a lot of us use lower level equipment when we go on our material runs."

Sachi frowned and pulled her knees to her chest. "Every day, Keita talks about us making it to the front lines and being one of the best guilds out there."

I nodded. "It's a good dream. Keita's a good guy. I think he'd make a great clearer."

"I'd make a what?" A loud yawn erupted from the maroon haired guild leader.

"Nothing." I called.

Keita sat up and rubbed his eyes groggily. "How long was I out?"

I looked at the clock that hovered just on the edge of my view. "About an hour."

"Huh. Ok. I'm gonna go and see if I can get some materials for an upgrade. Be right back." He ran down the hill and jogged off into the nearby trees.

I looked at Sachi. "Have you practiced that move that I taught you?"

She nodded and groped for her sword. "Yeah. But I still don't feel comfortable with it. I'm still scared of being up front."

I smiled. "It's alright to be scared. Just remember what I said earlier, ok? Now let's get a little more practice in."

We stood up and faced each other and drew our swords.

"Ready?" I called. I saw her nod and raise her sword into a neutral stance.

I charged forward, the point off my sword glowing blue as I did. As I speared the sword towards her midsection, she twisted her blade and deflected the jab. But as our swords grated against each other, she pushed her blade up and forced my sword arm to follow it. Then she lunged and drove her shield into my chest.

I toppled backwards, my health bar making a chime as the gauge went down by a little.

"Nice one, Sachi!" Tetsuo shouted.

Sachi just rushed to my side as I sat up. I gave a cough and waved her off. "I'm fine. But that was great!"

I stood up and gave Sachi a high-five.

We practiced for a little while longer, and I made small adjustments to her stance, and positioning.

"Kirito? Why do you insist on teaching me that one move?" she asked.

I scratched my chin. "Well. Someone once told me that he'd rather have one move that's been practiced five thousand times than five thousand moves that he's practiced once. Quality over quantity."

Just then Keita walked back up the hill. "Got everything I needed. Come on. Let's get back to the city. Besides, it's getting late."

Tetsuo went to wake up the snoring Ducker and Sasamaru. All of us held up our Teleport Crystals, the cerulean stone glinting in the fading sunlight.

"Teleport: Coral."

The six of us disappeared from the field in a flash of light, startling a couple of mice from the shadows of the trees.

* * *

_You will fail to save them._

A voice came from everywhere and nowhere. I stood in some sort of black void, with no distinct ground and sky though I some kind of support beneath my feet.

The voice rang out again.

_You will fail to save them. Happiness will elude you and sleep will flee from your tired mind. Memories of what you could have done will plague until the day you die._

"What?" I called. I didn't know what was happening. Fail to save who?

As if in answer to the questions running through my head, scenes flashed before my eyes.

I saw a room with a treasure chest. And the room turning a sickly red as monsters endlessly spawning into the room, hemming five of us in.

I saw Ducker, screaming as the monsters brought down their weapons on his back over and over and finally as he dissipated into multicolored shards of light. I saw Tetsuo, thrown back as he shattered into the same light. Sasamaru, in all his grief and anger, trying to avenge his friend's death only to be cast aside like a rag doll and suffer the same fate as his friends.

And then there was Sachi. The girl that I had sworn to protect. She fell forward as a monster slashed open her back. I looked towards her face. Tears welled in her eyes. She seemed to ask, "Why didn't you save us?" As her body shimmered for a split second before dissipating, I could see the betrayal in her face. And I knew that I would carry that expression around forever.

All of a sudden, the images shattered. Another presence seemed to drive away the first and the darkness seemed less oppressing.

Another, different voice rang out.

_Kirito, what you have seen is the future. But remember, the future is an ever-changing thing. Make the right choices, and those scenes will not come to pass. I cannot say what those choices are. But I wish you luck. _

I only felt more confused. But as I tried to ask more, a bright light engulfed me and I felt myself being _pulled_.

"WAKE UP!" a voice shouted.

I opened my eyes to a very frustrated Keita shaking me violently.

"Ok! Ok! I'm up." I shouted just as Keita dropped me.

I looked down at my sleeping clothes. "And why are my clothes wet?"

Tetsuo, who was standing by the doorway, spoke up. "That would be Ducker."

I raised my eyebrow. "Wait. I'm confused. What happened?"

Keita scratched his head. "Sachi tried to wake you up for breakfast. When you wouldn't, she panicked. Woke up the entire guild. We got her to calm down after five minutes. Ducker grabbed some water and splashed you in the face."

I looked around. "So where are they now?"

Tetsuo shrugged. "Sachi went across the hall to her room. Ducker went out to get a bucket. "

"A WHAT?!"

Just then, Ducker ran into the room. With a cry, he flung the entire bucket at my head.

As I sat there with the bucket on my head, I heard Tetsuo fall to the floor cackling with laughter.

"Oops."

I lifted the bucket off my head to see Keita fighting back a smile, Ducker looking shocked, and Tetsuo just rolling around on the floor laughing like mad. Sachi just stood in the doorway, a small smile on her face.

Just then, a floating message icon popped up. I tapped it.

Sender: Arkeda

Date: December 12th 2023

Subject: 49th Floor Boss meeting

Message:

Hey, we're going to have the boss meeting at the center of the city tomorrow. You know the place, right? Next to the fountain if you don't. Scouting reports will be in by this afternoon and we'll be going for the boss by the 8th. By the way, I haven't seen you around lately. Where'd you go?

-Arkeda

I quickly tapped out a reply letting him know I'd be there. Arkeda was one of my acquaintances in the beta. Over the last few floors, we had actually gotten to know each other on account of constantly being put in the same squad for the boss fights.

I hesitated over the send button. I looked over at the rest of the guild who looked back at me, waiting for some kind of news. Arkeda was a lancer, but very proficient in all sorts of weapons. That's what made him such a valuable asset to the clearers, just like my superior skill with the sword. Maybe…

It was Ducker who nudged me. "So… what's going on?"

I looked at him and left that thought hanging. "Nothing. The clearers found the floor boss of Floor 49h and they asked me to help out."

The dream from earlier came back to me. What if this was what it was warning me about? That second voice warned me of choices. Could this be one of them?

Keita smiled. "Yeah sure. Their trying to get us all out of here and they need all the manpower they can get, am I right?"

I nodded. "Boss fights are dangerous if you don't have enough players to take it down. A few boss fights were very nearly lost because of insufficient manpower."

Keita nodded. "I see. When's this meeting taking place?"

"Tomorrow."

Keita just smiled wistfully. "One day, we'll get up there."

I just clapped Keita on the shoulder. "I know you will. If you work hard and you have faith, you will."

Sachi came back in the room with a small box. She held it out to me. "I wanted to save this until Christmas… but here. In case you get stuck up there."

I opened the box, and reached inside. I pulled out a string with a crystal attached, the box shattering into multicolored shards of light as I did.

I tapped the crystal to activate it and watched as the picture expanded. We were in one of the coffee shops. Tetsuo and Ducker were clinking their glasses together, both with hot chocolate mustaches on their lips. Keita just sat to the side, smiling and nibbling on a candy cane. Sachi and I were in the back laughing. I had one arm around her waist and a coffee cup in the other. Sachi was smiling at Tetsuo and Ducker, as she clutched her own cup in both of her hands.

But the picture faded and another one took its place. In every single picture, we were all having fun. Some of them were recent. Some of them earlier in the year. But as I watched everyone laugh and smile at each of the pictures, I knew it was something special. I drew Sachi in for a hug as she sat down beside me and she rested her head underneath my chin.

The pictures faded away into nothingness and the crystal dropped back onto the table with a _clink_. I picked it up and put it around my neck, where it lay tucked underneath my shirt.

"Thanks a lot, you guys. But I'll be back. I promise." I said.

I changed my clothes and armor, putting on the equipment that I used as a clearer and walked out towards the warp gate. As I stepped onto the raised platform, I raised a hand in farewell.

"Teleport: Myujen."

As I felt myself being pulled away, one thought ran through my head.

_How am I gonna explain the guild?_

* * *

Ok. So that was chapter 2! Sorry if it was a little late. I've had writers block for a while. I knew what I needed to happen, but how to get there was eluding me. So sorry if it's a bad chapter. It was sort of a little filler thing, anyways. Thanks to everyone that reviewed, favorited, and/or followed! I really appreciate it. And I need a couple OCs, now that I worked out a couple of things that'll be happening in the next chapters. You've met mine: Arkeda. Pronounced Are-Kay-Dah. When you create your OC, do it as if you're creating your own Sword Art Online Character. Be original and as creative as possible!

**Real Life Name: **

**In Game name:** Treat this as if you were actually creating your own name.

**Job: **Merchant, Smith, Clearer, etc.

**Guild**: For this, you can make it up. It can either be unaffiliated, original, or any of the existing guilds in canon. You can check the reviews page to see if there are any guilds you would consider joining.

**Age**: Stay above 16, if at all possible. If it's critical your character be young, just stay above 12.

**Gender**: Male or Female. Duh.

**Appearance**: Physical appearance and build. Eye color? (Can be heterochromatic) Hair color, length of hair, etc. Any markings? Scars?

**Type of Armor worn:** What kind of armor does your character wear? Heavy, Medium, Light? Any specific markings on the armor? Buffs? Debuffs?

**Personality**: How does your character act around others?

**Weapon of Choice/ Fighting style:** Does your character use a one handed sword and shield? Aggressive? Defensive? Agility over strength? The more details, the better I can make it!

**Interests**: What does your character like to do? It can be both in game and in real life.

**Weaknesses**: What does your character absolutely loathe doing? Why?

**History**: Be creative! Most important: Why does your character play Sword Art Online?

**Can your character be killed if the story absolutely calls for it?** Yes or No. (Not saying I'm gonna or anything.)

**How will your character die, if necessary?: **


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